Two-speed, variable pressure garment press



Feb. 14, 1961 E. N. NECKEL 2,971,281

TWO-SPEED, VARIABLE PRESSURE GARMENT PRESS Filed Dec. 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

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ATTORNEYS Feb. 14, 1961 E. N. NECKEL TWO-SPEED, VARIABLE PRESSURE GARMENT PRESS 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1958 INVEN TOR.

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Edmund N. Neckel, North College Hill, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to McGraw-Edison Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 779,114 8 Claims. (Cl. 38-41) This invention relates to a novel and improved garment press of the so called scissors type wherein one of the pressing members is carried on a lever arm which is pivoted for swinging movement of its pressing member towards operative contact with a cooperating member.

My invention will be described in connection with a press having a fixed bed orbuck, the press head being mounted on the end of a lever arm of the first class. Two sources of motive power are provided for operation of the head lever. One source consists of amotor for moving the head into operative contact with the buck. A second source comprises a booster ram, and motive power therefor, including an air-impelled piston and means for its operation, whereby intensified pressure may be applied to the work in the final increment of pressing movement of the head lever.

One object of the invention is to provide a press of the character defined in the last preceding paragraph which affords greater ease, convenience, and versatility of operation than could be achieved with previous presses of this general type.

A further object of the invention is to provide a press 'of the character above described in which the press closing means can be controlled to operate at one of two different speeds. r

A further object of the invention is to provide a press of the character described in which means is provided for closing the press to relatively light pressing engagement'and for applying additional heavier pressure at the will of the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a press of the character described in which means is provided for holding the pressing parts in pressing engagement during manual operation of the control element, or for maintaining the pressing parts in pressing engament at a sustained .predetermined pressure, independently. of any manually maintained control element position;

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from a study of the following description of one embodiment of the invention in conjunction with the folowing drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a garment press embodying the invention, a side-frame portion beingbr'oken away to show certain operating parts.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryfront elevational-view ofthe lower front portion of the press showing pedal operating elements. 1

Fig. 3 is a semi-diagrammatic view of certain air'circuits, control valves and operating meanstherefor, and press head operating cylinders.

Fig. 4 isfan enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a quick -releas'e exhaust valve for the heavy pressure synader.

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views takertbiitlie respecon which a head lever 11 is pivotally mounted at 12. A,

ates vatent O i'ice head 13 is supported at one end of the lever 10. The lever is of the first order, and is responsive to two power sources, whereof one source is adapted to supply press closing movement and the other source is adapted to exert a predetermined amount of pressure after the press has been closed, as will be described.

The curved end portion of lever 11 is pivotally connected at 14 to the piston rod 15a of a heavy pressure air cylinder 16. Cylinder 16 ispivotally mounted at 17 to a 'cross brace 18 on the frame. A press-closing air cylinder 19a. and has a piston rod 19b connected to the head lever at 20. A spring return means 21 is also connected to the head lever at 20, and is anchored at the other end to the cross brace 18.

This press operating arrangement provides an overcenter arrangement for the pivot point 14 of the heavy pressure air cylinder 16. When the press is open, as shown in Fig. l, the pivot point 14 lies to the right of the center line between points 12 and 17, and when the press head moves to closed position the pivot point 14 moves to the left and comes to rest at a location to the left of said center line. It will also be obvious that during such press closing swing the piston shown in broken line in cylinder 16 moves inwardly to reduce the cylinder head volumetric capacity during the swing of the pivot point 14 towards the center line, and then moves outwardly again to increase the cylinder head volumetric capacity buck 23 has a valve 24 controlled by linkage 25 and foot pedal 26. The latter is pivoted on a shaft 27 (Figure 2), in the frame, and has a portion 26a at the other end arranged to operate exhaust valve 77 of the air control, later to be described. Also shown in Figure 2 is foot pedal 23, freely pivoted on shaft 27, and connected by linkage 29 (Figure l) to the buck steam valve. Head steam control is provided, having a manual lever 30*. Head and buck steam piping is indicated at 31.

With the press open, the control parts are in the condition shown in Figure 3 (the motors 16 and 19-are vertical in the diagram but would actually, of course, be at the angle shown in Figure 1). To close the press, the

operator actuates either valve 32 or 33, the former being for standard, relatively high speed closing, and the latter for slow closing. The valves may be operated by any suitable push buttons, levers, etc. Ashere indicated, fair- .ly Wide manuals 34, 35, 39 are provided, spaced somepipe 43 and the inlet chamber ofvalve 3-2. This is a conventional typeof combination inlet-exhaust valve,-the inlet valve '44 being normally closed by pressure of :the air and by spring 45. yUpon operatiomnow, the {inlet valve opens and exhaust 46 seats. Airis thereby-admitted through pipe 47 to inlet 48a of directional valve 48. This is a commercially available item, employing a rubber ball '48bfwhich is moved by the incoming airinto closing relationjwith the opposite inlet port. The air then goesnto j re'ss-closing cylinder 19, a conventional.single=acting motor, by way of pipe 49. i i

pipes 40, 50 and the inlet chamber of valve 33 is thereby 19 is pivotally connected on the side frame at The ,valve is slidable in a 'dependin the valve cap which serves as a guide.

against a shoulder 64c.

intent, but the air now, lifts the flange slightly,

admitted through connecting pipe or nipple 51 to needlecheck valve 52. Passage in this direction being prevented by ball valve member 52a, the air goes through needled orifice 52b, the rate of flow, but not the pressure, of course, being thereby suitably reduced. By way of nipple 53 the air goes to inlet 48c of directional valve, and thenby pipe 49 to cylinder 19.

' While in the presentembodiment the air supply for normal closing comes through pressure regulator 42, whereas the air supply for slow closing is at line pressure, this is not particularly significant. Conventionally, a pressure regulator is provided in air presses to avoid too much variation in operation. Some variation in pressure in the slow circuit has a negligible effect on the closing, however, because of the throttling. Both circuits "actually could have the same air supply.

The operator holds one or the other of the valves 32 or 33 operated the desired time, and releases the valve to open the press. Air exhausting from motor 19 goes back through pipe 49 to directional valve 48 and to. the valve that has. been used. From port 48c the air would pass unchecked through valve 52 and through valve 33, by way of exhaust port 33a, to a muffler. 54. From the other port 48a of the directional valve the air would vent through pipe 47 to valve 32. and out the exhaust port 32a to the mufller. Mufllers may be used on all the exhaust ports, or may be dispensed with.

If, with the press closed under normal li additional pressure is deemed actuates either valve 55 or depressing manual 57 or 58.

ght pressure,

necessary, the operator 6 on the press head by As previously mentioned,

this allows the pressure to be controlled in different ways.

Assuming that only a short application of pressure is desired, the operator uses manual 57, opening valve 55 to apply pressure so long as the valve is held operated. .Air from source, pipes 40, 59, 60, and the inlet chamber of valve 55 is admitted, on valve opening, to pipe 61 and thence to port 62a of directional valve 62 and out through pipe 63 to port 64a of quick exhaust valve 64 and therethrough to connecting nipple 65 and the inlet port of motor 16. The head being already closed at this time, the connecting point 14 of the head lever and the piston rod is over-center to the rear, as indicated in broken lines, Figure l, and the piston 15 is in extended position, although somewhat less than the press-open condition of vFigure 3.

Refer at this point to the valve 64 (also Figs. 4-6). When the air enters through port 64a it acts against the bottom end of a piston valve assem is an exhaust valve 66 with a rubber or similar insert. g ring portion 64b of A plurality of slots 640 in the guide ring 64b provide exhaust passageways when the valve is in lowered, open position. A stem .67 extending from the valve 66 has a reduced end part of the aforesaid y. The latter is slideable in,cylinf the valve body, and normally rests Freely fitting over stem 67 is a sleeve member 69 having a bottom flange 69a. An encircling spring 70 holds the sleeve down, with flange 69a seated on the portion 68 of the piston valve assembly, and covering a set of holes 68a therein. A shallow annular depression or groove 68 connects the holesv 68a.

secured, as by pin 67a, to the portion 68 piston valve assembl drical portion 64d 0 Spring 70 at its upper end bears 'against a washer member 71 slidably fitting on stem 67.

e washer rests agains also just touchin The air ente t the bottom of valve 66. and is g the bottom edge of annular guide 64b.

closing the exhaust port 72.. Notethat the holes 68a are closed off by flange 69a at thistime.- As the valve engages the seat, piston 68 is stopped'from further upward moveagainst bly. The upper part b in the upper. face of thepiston ring below the piston valve assembly 68 j first moves the assembly upward, thereby seating valve 66,

4 spring pressure, and passes into the motor. When the flow of air into the motor ceases, the flange reseats, and the spring tends to push the piston-valve unit down. This is resisted, however, by the force in sealing direction exerted on the valve unit by the pressure differential-- the exposed area above the valve being at atmospheric pressure. Thereafter, when pressure in the inlet pipe is released (when the operator releases valve the exhaust valve quickly opens, due not only to the action of spring but also because a differential pressure thereby occurs on piston 68, the higher pressure above the piston acting to push it down. The air under pressure in the motor thus exhausts by a short path through valve passages 64c, port 72 and rnuflier 73.

During the opening and the closing of the press, motor piston 15 makes a down and up reciprocation, so that a single snubbing means serves to check the head as it approaches the buck or the full-open position. In the present embodiment ball check 74 in the cylinder head allows free ingress of air, through pipe 75 and mufller. 73, during the down stroke of the piston. As the piston begins the upstroke the check ball closes. The enlarged section 15b of the piston rod is, for a short period, out of the bore 16a, permitting free escape of the air through this bore, pipe 75 and muflier 73. Thereafter, section 15b enters this bore with some small amount of clearance, throttling this passageway to a large extent, and the escape of air is by this path plus the outlet 16b, adjustable by throttling screw 16c.

If, with the head closed under normal light pressure by use of valves 32 or 33, a sustained heavier pressure is desired, valve 56 will be actuated rather than valve 55. Air from pipes 40 and 59 and the inlet chamber of valve 56. is admitted to pipe 76, pedal-operated release valve 77, therethrough f0 port 6211 of directional valve, and through pipe 63 to inlet of valve 64 at the high-pressure motor. A branch pipe 78 goes to a pressure gauge 79. The operator holds the valve 56 operated just long enough to attain the desired pressure, or this may also be done incrementally by quick opening and releasing of the valve, a certain period of time being required for the air to enter the motor and build up to full line pressure. At any intermediate point the valve 56 may be released to hold that particular pressure. This valve is arranged to trap the air beyond it, the valve being so adapted by plugging the exhaust port 56a and using an air-sealed valve stem 56b. To open quick-exhaust valve 64, pedal-operated release valve 77 is operated, releasing the air pressure in pipe 63. Port 62b of the directional valve has been opened the ball member 620 being held against opposite port 62a by the air pressure. It may be noted that whenever motor 16 is energized, the closing motor 19 maybe 'de-energized, i.e., the operator may release the closing valve manual.

It will now be apparent th above described can be do namely the normal or rela speed. The latter speed when pressing work pieces otherwise susceptible to dis escaping air if the press fairly rapid speed.

It will further be apparent that the press hereinabove described may be manually held, for a brief period, in pressing engagement with the work, or, at the operators choice, the press head may be brought to engagement with the work at any selected pressure within the work- 'ing pressure range of the press, and thereafter maintained under said selected pressure until disengaged when the operator chooses. A quick release 'exhaus t valve is provided for this purpose. I

What is claimed is: V l. A laundry press a movable of the character desc ribcd having pressing member, and a fixed p ressing member, andmeans for moving said movable pressing memher towards working contact with said fixed pressing member including a fluid pressure motor operatively effective on said movable pressing member, and means for transmitting fluid pressure to said motor comprising a first pipe route and a second pipe route, each said route hav ing its respective flow control means whereby to admit fluid pressure in one or the other selected route, either said route being independently operable on said motor to close said press, and flow restricting means in one said route to provide an available differentiation in press operating speed.

2. A laundry press as defined in claim 1 having, in combination therewith, a second fluid pressure motor also operatively eflective on said movable pressing member, and means for energizing said second fluid presure motor after press closing movement whereby to apply additional working pressure on said movable pressing member.

3. A laundry press of the character described having a movable pressing member and a fixed pressing member, a lever carrying said movable pressing member on one end thereof, said lever being pivotally mounted on said frame whereby to permit said movable pressing member to be moved towards and away from said fixed pressing member by movement of said lever, a fluid pressure motor operatively eflective on said lever to produce said movement, first fluid pressure transmission piping means in communication with said motor, second fluid pressure transmission piping means in communication with said motor, each said piping means having its respective flow control means whereby to provide respectively alternative fluid flow control paths, either said path being independently usable to close said press, and flow restricting means in one said path to provide a difference in the rates of flow available in said paths whereby to permit respective variations in press-closing speeds.

4. A laundry press as defined in claim 3 having, in combination therewith, a second fluid pressure motor also operatively efiective on said lever, and means for energizing said second fluid pressure motor after pressclosing movement whereby to apply increased working pressure on said movable pressing member.

5. A laundry press of the character described having a movable pressing member, and a fixed pressing member, means for moving said movable pressing member to work ing contact with said fixed pressing member, a fluid pressure motor operatively effective on said movable pressing member when it reaches working contact, means for transmitting fluid pressure to said motor through a pipe route having therein a control valve and a valve operating member, said valve being biased to pressure interrupting, exhaust position and being adapted to pass pressure fluid only while said valve operating member is actuated, and alternative means for transmitting pressure fluid to said motor including a second pipe route having therein a second control valve and a valve operating member, means for maintaining pressure in said second pipe route even after release of said second valve operating member, and means independent of said second control valve for exhausting pressure in said second pipe route after any determined interval.

6. A laundry press of the character described having a movable pressing member and a fixed pressing member, means for moving said movable pressing member towards working contact with said fixed pressing member including a fluid pressure motor operatively effective on said movable pressing member, means for transmitting fluid pressure to said motor comprising a first pipe route and a second pipe route each said route having its respective flow control means whereby to admit fluid pressure in one or the other selected route, either said route being independently operable on said fluid pressure motor, flow restricting means in one said route to provide an available differentiation in press operating speed, a second fluid pressure motor also operatively eflective on said movable pressing member after it reaches native means for transmitting working contact, means for admitting fluid pressure to said second motor through a third pipe route having therein a control valve and a valve operating member, said valve being biased to pressure interrupting, exhaust position and being adapted to pass pressure fluid only while its valve operating member is actuated, and alterfluid pressure to said second motor including a fourth pipe route having therein a second control valve and a second valve operating member, means for maintaining pressure in said fourth pipe route even after release of said second valve operating member, and means independent of said second control valve for exhausting pressure in said fourth pipe route after any determined interval.

7. A laundry press of the character described having a movable pressing member, and a fixed pressing member, means for moving said movable pressing member to working contact with said fixed pressing member, a fluid pressure motor operatively effective on said movable pressing member when it reaches working contact, means for transmitting fluid pressure to said motor through a pipe route having therein a control valve and a valve operating member, said valve being biased to pressure interrupting, exhaust position and being adapted to pass pressure fluid only while said valve operating member is actuated, and alternative means for transmitting pressure fluid to said motor including a second pipe route having therein a second control valve and a valve operating member, means for maintaining pressure in said second pipe route even after release of said second valve operating member, and additional valve means in fluid flow communication with said second pipe route, and disposed adjacent to said motor, and normally biased to open, motor-exhaust position, but being movable to closed position by incoming pressure fluid.

8. A laundry press of the character described having a movable pressing member and a fixed pressing member, means for moving said movable pressing member towards working contact with said fixed pressing member including a fluid pressure motor operatively effective on said movable pressing member, means for transmitting fluid pressure to said motor comprising a first pipe route and a second pipe route each said route having its respective flow control means whereby to admit fluid pressure in one or the other selected route, flow restricting means in one said route to provide an available differentiation in press operating speed, a second fluid pressure motor also operatively eflective on said movable pressing member after it reaches working contact, means for admitting fluid pressure to said second motor through a third pipe route having therein a control valve and a valve operating member, said valve being biased to pressure interrupting, exhaust position and being adapted to pass pressure fluid only while its valve operating member is actuated, and alternative means for transmitting fluid pressure to said second motor including a fourth pipe route having therein a second control valve and a second valve operating member, means for maintaining pressure in said fourth pipe route even after release of said second valve operating member, and additional valve means in fluid flow communication with said fourth pipe route, and disposed adjacent said second fluid pressure motor, and normally biased to open, motor-exhaust position, but being movable to closed position by incoming pressure fluid in said fourth pipe route.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 22,041 Raynolds Feb. 24, 1942 1,888,310 Davis Nov. 22, i932 1,939,000 Davis Dec. 12, 1933 1,974,264 Daly Sept. 18, 1934 2,079,301 Oliver May 4, 1937 

